Official Homelite front-engine lawn tractor parts

Replacing the spark plug in your Homelite front-engine lawn tractor

• Park the tractor on a level surface in a well-ventilated area and set the parking brake.
• Turn the ignition switch off and remove the key. Let the engine cool.
• Wear work gloves to protect your hands.
• Lift the tractor hood and disconnect the spark plug wire.
• Use a spark plug wrench to remove the spark plug from the engine.
• Using a gap tool, set the gap on the spark plug to the gap specified in the owner’s manual. For this engine, the gap is .03 inches. Thread the new spark plug into the engine and tighten it with the spark plug wrench. Tighten the spark plug firmly, but don't overtighten, so you can remove the spark plug easily the next time you replace it.
• Reconnect the spark plug wire and lower the tractor hood.

Troubleshooting your Homelite front-engine lawn tractor when it won't cut grass

If the riding lawn mower runs but the blades won't cut the grass, the problem could be with the blade belt. Examine and replace the belt if you find it worn or broken. If the belt is okay, check the blade belt idler pulley, blade clutch cable and clutch lever assembly on tractors with manual blade actuators. On riding mowers that use a PTO switch to activate the blades, check the PTO switch and the electric clutch. Failed mandrel pulleys can also prevent the blades from spinning properly.

You'll need to replace the mandrel pulleys if they're worn or damaged.